Anyone can get suspicious food products tested at FSSAI laboratories, and they will even be reimbursed for the cost of the testing if any adulteration is detected.
We live in a time when food adulteration is widespread, and the belief that there is not much that one can do to tackle the problem is what deters most of us from actually taking action against this illegal practice.
However, this is set to change because the government wants each one of us to come forward and test dubious food products.
Upon finding that there hadn’t been a single complaint registered for food adulteration under Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s Special Act (FSSAI) since its introduction in 2006, the centre has decided to make the provision more visible amongst the public.
Under the Act, an ordinary citizen can get suspicious food products tested at FSSAI laboratories, and they will even be reimbursed for the cost of the testing if any adulteration is detected.
The price ranges between ₹2,000 and ₹5,000, depending on the type of food product.
“In a recent FSSAI audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), it emerged that there has not been a single complaint received under the Act and therefore, we have decided to advertise the provision widely,” an official in the Union health ministry told The New Indian Express.
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He also mentioned that while the procedure was open to anyone and everyone, it was the time-consuming procedure that dissuaded most people from filing a complaint. “Public participation is must to enhance food safety standards,” an FSSAI official added.
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